TNAG-0785-FCO40-989-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H-A-Turn-1978 — Page 30

HKK 212/1

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Murray

2619

Jet

7/9.

HKK 212/

and lette RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MC. 51

SOCT 1978

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

DEAN

R

INDEX

ΡΑ

REPORT ON LABOUR RELATIONS IN HONG KONG :

40

REGITRY

ction Ten

36

Flag A

17

Flag B

attateked

Flag C

1. Professor H A Turner has written to Sir Murray MacLehose proposing that he should visit Hong Kong from November this year to early January 1979 in order to complete his report on labour relations in the territory. He anticipates that his Faculty Board will make difficulties about his absence from Cambridge

during term time, but believes that their objections could be overcome if the Secretary of State were to write to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge (Hong Kong telegram number 1107).

2.

Professor Turner (Burton Professor of Industrial Relations at Cambridge) was asked to carry out a review of labour relations in Hong Kong following a meeting in April 1975 between the Secretary of State and members of the Labour Party National Executive Committee

who were critical of the state of labour relations in Hong Kong. His terms of reference were to study and describe labour relations in Hong Kong and to identify any impediments to the development of effective trades unions, employees! organisations and collective bargaining.

3.

Professor Turner produced an interim report in January 1977. His final report was originally expected to be completed before the end of 1977 but he became involved in other duties at Cambridge and Sydney Universities, and in an assignment in Zambia at the request of the Prime Minister. He also lost some time through ill health. As a result the completion date for the report has been put back three times. In answer to a Parliamentary Question put down by Mr Robert Parry on 25 January this year, Mr Luard said (after consulting Professor Turner) that the final report was expected in the early summer. When Mr James Lamond asked a similar question on 13 April, Professor Turner said he hoped his report would be ready by late summer. It is therefore very disappointing.

/that

CONFIDENTIAL

Page 30Page 31